Last Modified: Monday, December 31, 2012 at 12:24 a.m.

Facts

Chick-fil-A Bowl

Preview capsuleSeries Record: LSU leads 2-0.WHAT'S AT STAKEClemson is trying to reach 11 wins for only the fourth time in school history and the first time since a 12-0 finish in its 1981 national championship season. LSU, which one year ago was preparing for the national championship game, is hoping for a top-five finish and to close with four straight wins after its 21-17 loss to Alabama on Nov. 3.KEY MATCHUPLSU freshman cornerbacks Jalen Mills and Jalen Collins, who have had prominent roles since the dismissal of Tyrann Mathieu before the season, will be challenged to contain DeAndre Hopkins, who is second in the nation with 16 TD catches, and Sammy Watkins. Mills, the starter, and Collins, who plays on passing downs, have combined for four interceptions. Clemson QB Tajh Boyd has 34 TD passes.PLAYERS TO WATCHLSU: LB Kevin Minter, a second-team All-American who leads the Tigers with 111 tackles, will be a key to LSU's hopes of containing 1,000-yard rusher Andre Ellington and Boyd's runs on QB keepers to make Clemson's offense one-dimensional. Minter had 12 tackles and an interception in LSU's 24-19 win over Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M on Oct. 20.Clemson: Watkins has only three TD catches, a big drop from his 12 as a freshman last season. He could be ready for a strong finish after missing three games early in the season — two to a suspension and one to illness. He had 11 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown against N.C. State on Nov. 17 and could have another big game if LSU leaves him in man coverage while focusing on Hopkins.FACTS & FIGURESThe Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference are 10-10 in the annual game. ... LSU is 36-1 in non-conference games since 2005, with the one loss coming against Penn State in the 2010 Capital One Bowl. ... LSU running backs have a streak of 271 carries without a fumble since two against Towson on Sept. 29. ... LSU is 9-1 all-time in the Georgia Dome, including four wins in the SEC championship game, four wins in the Chick-fil-A Bowl and a season-opening win over North Carolina in 2010. Les Miles' 5-2 bowl record at LSU includes a 2-0 mark in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. ... Clemson needs 25 points to break Florida State's ACC record of 532 points in 1995. ... Boyd is tied with former N.C. State star Philip Rivers' 2003 ACC record of 34 touchdown passes in a season. Boyd has 10 more TD passes than Manziel and 20 more than Heisman runner-up Collin Klein. ... LSU is Clemson's highest-ranked bowl opponent since Clemson beat No. 6 Tennessee in Atlanta in the 2003 season, when the game was called the Peach Bowl. ... Clemson leads the nation with 49 pass plays of at least 25 yards. ... Clemson's Brandon Ford has eight TD catches, the second-highest total for tight ends in the nation, behind the 10 by Marshall's Gator Haskins.— The Associated Press

One game is not nearly enough to change the fortunes of a program, but winning today's Chick-fil-A Bowl would be another step forward for the less-heralded of the two Tigers.

The Bayou Bengals are the upper-crust of collegiate football, a consistent SEC power that's always highly-regarded on the national scene no matter the names on the roster and more often than not prove themselves worthy on the field.

With consecutive 10-win seasons and an offense recognized as one of the most potent in the country, Clemson is certainly on the rise while continuing to lack in respect due to the current pungent status of the ACC. It doesn't help matters that the Tigers were embarrassed 70-33 by West Virginia on the national stage in January's Orange Bowl.

With the spotlight once again as bright as it's been all season on Clemson, a season-ending victory against LSU can set a positive tone for the offseason, help recruiting in the hotbed of Atlanta, as well as earn the Tigers some early respect from next year's poll voters.

“This has not been the norm for us,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said during Sunday's press conference. “And we are trying to make it the norm to where we are in this situation every year like LSU has been. They've been a program that has won 10-to-13 games pretty regularly under coach (Les) Miles.

“They are a national championship-caliber team and we are not quite there yet, but we have made great progress. We are a top-15 team and if we are going to be a top-10 team you have to step up and win games like this at some point. Our two losses this year were to top-10 teams and we competed hard but just didn't get it done.”

The contrast in reputation isn't the only disparity between the programs as the two are equally as far apart in how they go about their business on the field. LSU is a nasty and intimidating old-school team that routinely tries to out-muscle foes and likes to come right at you with little flash and dash. Clemson's success is predicated on a fast-paced offense with ultra-talented skill guys usually counted on to outscore the competition while the overall team has been seen as soft at times.

Clemson's losses to Florida State and South Carolina both came to squads featuring tough defenses led by large and gruff defensive fronts.

“There's lots of different styles of play in college football and I think that's what makes it so much fun,” Swinney said. “It's not a cookie-cutter product and you have all kinds of varieties out there. At the end of the day you have to do what ultimately gives your team the best chance to win. That may be different depending on where you are, your personnel and your resources, all those things.

<p>LSU has everything that Clemson wants.</p><p>One game is not nearly enough to change the fortunes of a program, but winning today's Chick-fil-A Bowl would be another step forward for the less-heralded of the two Tigers.</p><p>The Bayou Bengals are the upper-crust of collegiate football, a consistent SEC power that's always highly-regarded on the national scene no matter the names on the roster and more often than not prove themselves worthy on the field.</p><p>With consecutive 10-win seasons and an offense recognized as one of the most potent in the country, Clemson is certainly on the rise while continuing to lack in respect due to the current pungent status of the ACC. It doesn't help matters that the Tigers were embarrassed 70-33 by West Virginia on the national stage in January's Orange Bowl.</p><p>With the spotlight once again as bright as it's been all season on Clemson, a season-ending victory against LSU can set a positive tone for the offseason, help recruiting in the hotbed of Atlanta, as well as earn the Tigers some early respect from next year's poll voters.</p><p>“This has not been the norm for us,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said during Sunday's press conference. “And we are trying to make it the norm to where we are in this situation every year like LSU has been. They've been a program that has won 10-to-13 games pretty regularly under coach (Les) Miles.</p><p>“They are a national championship-caliber team and we are not quite there yet, but we have made great progress. We are a top-15 team and if we are going to be a top-10 team you have to step up and win games like this at some point. Our two losses this year were to top-10 teams and we competed hard but just didn't get it done.”</p><p>The contrast in reputation isn't the only disparity between the programs as the two are equally as far apart in how they go about their business on the field. LSU is a nasty and intimidating old-school team that routinely tries to out-muscle foes and likes to come right at you with little flash and dash. Clemson's success is predicated on a fast-paced offense with ultra-talented skill guys usually counted on to outscore the competition while the overall team has been seen as soft at times.</p><p>Clemson's losses to Florida State and South Carolina both came to squads featuring tough defenses led by large and gruff defensive fronts.</p><p>“There's lots of different styles of play in college football and I think that's what makes it so much fun,” Swinney said. “It's not a cookie-cutter product and you have all kinds of varieties out there. At the end of the day you have to do what ultimately gives your team the best chance to win. That may be different depending on where you are, your personnel and your resources, all those things.</p><p>“I'm very confident in our style of play and how we play the game.”</p>